Kennedy came on board during Slash’s 2010 solo album, which featured guest vocalists/songwriters on each track.

Kennedy was on two tracks, and was then asked to join Slash’s touring band.

Which meant that Kennedy soon became one of the busiest singers in the rock game, as he is also the lead vocalist/songwriter for alt-rock hitmakers Alter Bridge.

So with one huge star in Slash, and another significant attraction in Kennedy, Kerns figured he’d just be happy being a sideman to those two great talents.

But he has been pleasantly surprised as to how much he and Winnipeg native Fritz are seen as part of a band, and not simply hired guns.

“Even when we did the Live at Stoke live CD and DVD, I didn’t anticipate it being anything more than a photo of Slash and probably Myles on the cover and inside, because it was always billed as Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and I knew that walking in. Slash is an icon and Myles is a multi-platinum selling artist and has accomplished a great deal on his own. I always knew my place and I am okay with my place. And then all of a sudden they put out this live album and our photos are in it and we’re listed as part of the band,” he said.

The band is now officially known as Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators - with the two Canadians being the Conspirators.

Kerns said Slash and Kennedy encouraged him to sing more, and now he accompanies all of Kennedy’s vocals and even sings lead on some tunes.

“Singing with Myles is a pleasure and the next thing you know, I am singing a couple of songs on my own, and now people in South America know who I am, and people in Australia know who I am,” he said, adding that he thinks Kennedy is one of the best vocalists in rock music today.

“I have never seen a more consistent performer. I have played with him all this time, and in the period that I wasn’t playing with him, he was out with Alter Bridge. He’s basically been doing this for almost four years straight, without the normal breaks that a band takes. He just went from one big thing to another and back again. He is just a machine, and also a very driven guy, and, again, a very good guy.

"I heard someone say recently, 'No shit, no roses.' I thought that was interesting because, you know, you've got to fertilize them in something. I think we're all being fertilized with our own shit and we can choose to grow into fucking amazing people from it." - Glen Hansard (The Frames/The Swell Season)